Why didn't Pankaja Munde's ministry upload government resolutions on website, asks activist

Mumbai: Cornering the Maharashtra government over its transparency claims, a noted RTI activist has sought to know from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as to why were GRs pertaining to the alleged Chikki scam involving minister Pankaja Munde not uploaded on the official website.

Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, who has blown the lid of many scams in the state, in a letter to Fadnavis said, “It was really shocking to know that orders to purchase the food items were passed in a single day by flouting all rules on February 13 with passing of 24 GRs (government resolutions), but not a single GR was put in public domain.”

“It further escalates the intention of the government and in particular of the ministry because the way Munde ruled it, as not even a single GR was uploaded on the website,” he said.

“Not only Pankaja Munde’s ministry, but also other ministries have been conniving and are not sharing such info by not uploading it on websites,” Kumbhar said.

“So I have demanded the Chief Minister to instruct all the concerned officials of ministries to upload such information on websites from now on and also to do an audit of the expenses incurred on public money,” he told PTI.

State Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde has been accused of brazen violation of rules and awarding contracts worth Rs 206 crore to certain companies for purchase of food items and other materials meant for children in rural and tribal areas.

A host of items including snacks specially Chikki, mats, dishes, water filters, medicines and books for children werepurchased under the Integrated Child Development Services by the Ministry.

PTI